Mechanical long-wall coal-loading conveyer



APPLICATION fILED JULY 2I, I9I9.

Patented June 15, 1920;

-5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. E. KNEE AND G. B. HOPKINS.

MECHANICAL LONG WALL COAL LOADING CONVEYER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, I91

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I I I I I l l I l I I l I I I I l I I I I I I l I I I I I I l l I I I I I l I I l I I I I I I I I A. E.'I(NEE AND G. B. HOPKINS. MECHANICAL LONG WALL COAL LOADING CONVEYER- APPLICATION FILED JULY 21. 1919.

7 1,343,369, Patented June 15, 1920-.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. E. KNEE AND G. B. HOPKINS. MECHANICALLONG WALL COAL LOADING CONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2|. 1919- PVk z u 0 \k m m @m MN; m m 1 1 I 1 I l I v l 1 I I I 1 I l 1 I 1.. u PDW l n JV QM J Mn nm fl hm? s r 1 0 M m fi l M i A. E. KNEE AND G. B. HOPKINS. MECHANICAL LONG WA'LL COAL LOADING CONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, I919 a u F. M w .m m 9i u w n m a PD 3 V m; mm ag. w M5 fl/k n m P 8N oNrrEc fsrArEs MECHANICAL LONG-WALL coat-LOADING CONVEYER.

learE r clerics.

ALBERT E. KNEE, OF ELUEErELD, AND eoaEoN E. HOPKINS, o IEEX, WEST VIR INIA.

Specification of Letters l atent. p t t e 5,

Application filed July 21, 1919. Serial No. 312,345.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT E. K EE,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and useful Improvements in Mechanical Long-l/Vall Coal-Loading Conveyers, whereof the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for conveying and loading coal directly from a long-wall face inside the mine to the mine cars in an entry'of the mine after such coal has been undercut and shot down.

' skilled mine labor to a minimum.

The apparatus comprises a continuous conveying means operative along the longwall face, usually of one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in length,'to rapidly gather the shot-down coal and deliver itat the entry to the cars therein; the gathering means being automatically moved toward the mine face as the shot-down coal in front thereof is gathered up and conveyed away.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a plan of a section of a coal mine and an embodiment of this invention in operative position across a long-wall'face preparatory to the gathering of the shotdown coal after the undercutting and shoot- .ing has been completed.

Fig.2 represents on an enlarged scale a cross section of the mine wall and an end elevation of one of the buckets of this machine in position for starting the gathering operation.

Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the mine section and apparatus similar to that of Fig. 1, showing the position of the gathering mechanism after the coal of one undercut has been conveyed out and. the mine face cleaned up ready for another out.

Fig. 4 represents on a large scale a cross section similar to Fig. 2 showing a bucket in position after the coal has been cleaned up or'loaded out. 1

Fig. 5 represents on a large scale a plan of one end of the machine.

' being open along its' length;

Fig. 6 represents alongitudinalSection thereof on line 6-6 of Fig.5.

Fig. v7 represents a side elevation thereof. Fig. 8 represents an end elevation thereof partly in section.

Fig. 9 represents on a large scale a plan. of the opposite end of the machine.

Fig. 10 represents a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 11 represents a longitudinal section thereof on line 1111 ofFig. 9.

Fig. 12 represents a perspective viewof one of the series of coal gathering buckets which are dragged across the mine face.

The same reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

This invention is illustrated in connection with an ordinary type of soft coal mine in which the seam of coal is cutby a main entry or passage A, a passage B parallel therewith and a cross passage C connecting, said parallel passages. The opposite sides of the cross passage Cconstitu-te long-wall mine faces D and E. Asshownin Fig.1 the dotted line f indicates an undercut portion of the mine face D, the coal from which after being shot down is conveyed away during one-setting of the machine. In Fig. 2 the space between the lower lineg and the horizontal line 7t indicates the un- 10 and '30 stationed in the parallelpassages A' and B adjacent the'long-wall'mine face D and in part opposite the cross passage C. The cage 10 is preferably in the form of an elongated rectangular frame constructed of angleiron bars 11 partially inclosed by a 1 solid sheet iron bottom '12 and solid sheet iron ends 13, both sidesand'the top and bottom Two longi tudinal screw'shafts 14 and 15 are disposed within the cage 10 preferablyone above the gitudinal grooved shaft 20 is also ournale'd Y in bearings at opposite ends of the cage A sliding worm wheel 21 splined on thls shaft is movable thereon longitudinally thereof, and serves as a means for rotating said shaft, said worm wheel being actuated as hereinafter described. A gear 22 on shaft 20 meshes with an idle pinion 23 which en- I gages the large gear 19 whereby motion is '32 are respectively provided with gears '33 and84 which are driven by an intermediate large gear 35 ona stub shaft 36carry1ng a crankg37, for manual Operation, A grooved shaftAO carries a slidable worm wheel 41 splined thereon. This shaft has at its outer end a fixed gear 42 whichmeshes with the large gearu85 and mechanically operates thescrewshafts. 1

Two traveling carriages 5.0 and 70Vare disposed. in the cages 10 and 30, respectively and adapted to travel in unison from end to end thereof. The ,carriage has a U- shaped pan or runway 51 and the carriage 70 has a corresponding U -shaped'pan or runway 71. The open ends of these runways :are provided with downwardly inclined flaring spouts 52 and 53 and 72 and '7 respectively, the runways being so disp'osed thatv the spoutsfof one runway face the corresponding spouts of the other run way. j These runways; preferably consist of angleiron frames having sheet iron sheaththrough which the screwshafts 1 1' and 15 of.

ings at top, bottom and sides. 5 The car- 'riage 50 is provided at opposite sides with fiXed threaded screw -eyes 5d and the cage 10, pass, and the carriage 70 is provided at. its opposite sides with fixed screw-eyes 74. and 75 which are engaged by the screwshafts 31 and 32 of the cage 1:30. The runway 51 hasat its closed end in 9 its bottom a-delivery opening 56 mother suitable delivery means. The top edges of the'runway opposite said opening are preferably higher so as to lift the buckets for dumping as hereinafter described.

The carriage 50 carries a reversible electric motor,.5'?, havinga drivingshaft 58 providedwith a worm 59. This shaft carries a worm 62 which engages the worm wheel 21 which slides on the grooved shaft '20. Anysuitable means are provided for causing this sliding'worm wheel to move withthe carriage 50. Motion is communi ca-ted through this, worm wheel and the mechanism .hereinbefore described to "the screw-shafts of the cage 10, whereby the carnage is made to traverse said cage from end to end thereof. The shaft 60 carries near its upper end a gappedpulley or sprocket wheel (33 splined thereon. A sliding clutch 6 1 on. said shaft engages or releases the clutch hub of said wheel to cause it to turn with said shaft or remain loose thereon. A clutch lever 65 'actuates said clutch. v g

The carriage is provided with a ,vertical shaft 76 which carries a. fixed gap'ped pulley or sprocket wheel 77. The shaft 76 receives motionthrough this pulley. The shaft 76 carries a worm 78 which engages and drives the sliding worm wheel 41 which slides on the shaft 40 in unison with the carriage movement in the cage 30. An endless cable 80, preferably in the form of a wire rope -'or chain is passed over the horizontal pulleys 63 and ,7? and connects;

the two parts of the machine disposed at opposite ends of the long-wall mine face. The inner run of this cablepasses adjacent to and substantially parallel with saidface. The cable is preferably constructed in de{ tachable sections'hooked together so that it may be lengthened or shortened as cir-"V cumstances may require, The cable ispreferably provided at intervals with a series of pulley buttons or clamps 81 which engage endsof the peripheral sections of'the gapped pulleys. Other fmeans of prevent- V mg slipping of the cable under load may be provided. A series of drag buckets 90 are connected by drag chains or ropes 82 to the endless cable 80, preferably at the points of connection therewith of the but tons or clamps 81. These buckets travel in an endless circuitunder the pull of the shot down from said face and deliver it I through the opening 56 or at any other desired point. The drag bucket in its preferred form is an automatic dumping bucket having a self-operative drop. botand consists when constructed as tom, shown in Fig. 12 of a rectangular box 90 having an elongated bottom 91 projective at its front end, thefront ends 92 of the side walls being inclined rearward from the bottom to the top. This box ispreferably constructed of reinforced sheet metal and is open at its front end. The bottom 91 is supported on a transverse hinge 93 which is disposed forward. of theinidlength of saidbottom. The greater weight i of material on the'longer portion of the bottoijn behind the hinge causes said longer portion to swingdownward'and the shorter portion-in front of said hinge to swing upward, and all' the coal slides off at the depressed rear end of .said bottom through the delivery opening in the bottom of the runway when the bucket passes said'opening. The bucket is provided at its top on opposite sides with lateral supporting lugs 94L which engage and slide on the top edges of the sides of the runways during the passage of the buckets therethrough. The drag rope 82 is connected with the bucket 90 at the front top portionthereof by a bail or branches 83. The bucket is preferably provided with means to avoid friction 1 in passing through the runways. 'This vmeans may consist of antifriction rollers 95 disposed at the corners. e v 7 An inclined endless conveyer 100, conventionally shown in the drawings, has a 7 horizontal lower extension 101 projected underneath the delivery opening of the runway 51 and a horizontal upper exten sion 102 projected over the top of the train of mine cars. This auxiliary conveyer takes the coal gathered by the drag buckets and delivers it into the mine cars. j The cages 10 and 30 when placed in position are supported by a series of screwjacks 110 or other suitable means and properly leveled.

Means are provided for adjustingtherelative positions of the cages with a view of tightening the endless cable 80. For this purpose the cage 10 is provided at one end with a drum shaft having a loose gear 26 which meshes with and is driven by the gear 22 of the shaft 20. A clutch 27 on the drum shaft locks said gear to turn therewith when desired. This shaft is provided at its outer end with a rope drum 28. A rope 29 is connected at one end to said drum, wound one;

or more turns around said drum and connected at its other end to a stake orother fixed point. The cage 10 isalso provided at its opposite end with a drum shaft 25' having a loose gear 26 which meshes with and is driven by a gear 22 on the shaft 20. A clutch 27 on the drum shaft 25 locks said gear 26 to turn therewith when desired. This shaft is provided at its outer end with a rope drum 28. A rope 29 is connected at one end to said drum, wound one or more turns around said drum and connected .at its other end to a stake or other fixed point. By shifting the clutches 27 and 27 to lock the gears 26 and 26 the drums 28 and 28 wind or unwind the rope 29 and 29 and tighten or loosen the cable 80. The cage30 may also be provided with drum shafts 43 and 43' having at their inner ends loose gears 44 and 44" and clutches 4L5 andfltfi' for locking said gears respectively. Rope drums 46 and 46at the outer ends of the drum shafts 43 and 43 are provided respectively with ropes 47 and 47 which may be connected at their other ends to stakes or other fixed points. The drums are connected with their shafts by friction clutches which yield under excessive stress of the ropes and avoid strain or-breakage. These drums at opposite ends of the cage are also to be used in '80 adjacent to the loose coal shot down from said wall. Then the machine is started and the drag buckets 90 move in inward direction towardthe carriage 50 on the operative run, in outward direction toward :the carriage ,of the inoperative run, and through the runwaysof said carriages. The buckets gather coal on their inward run, then pass upthroughthe spout 53 of the runway 51, thence around in said runway to a point over the delivery opening 56 thereof. In passing said opening the bottoms of said buckets owing tothe weight of contents therein tilt automatically and dump the contents into the conveyer 100 whence it is delivered to the cars standing on the track of the entryA as. shown. The carriages 50 and 7 O carrying the endless cable 80 are slowly and'continuously moved towardthe receding pile of shot down coal by means ofthe screwshafts of the cages 1 0 and 30, so as to bring the drag buckets into position for gathering said coal. r \Ve have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention but changes may be made therein without departure from the scope thereof.

We claim as our invention:-

1. In an apparatus of the character described the combination of cages adapted'to be disposed adjacent to a mine face, carriages movable therein carrying horizontal pulleys,

means for actuating said pulleys and arc-' shaped runways, an endless cable on said pulleys, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endless cable, and a series of drag buckets connected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and 'operative to gathercoal shot down from said mine face and discharge it at a point of delivery. '2. In anapparatus of the character described" the combination of cages adapted to be disposed adjacent to amine face, riages movable tfhe'rein carrying horizontal pulleys, means for actuating said pulleys and arc-shaped runways, an endless cable on said pulleys, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endless cable, a series of drag buckets ccnnected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather coal shot down from said I'nine face and discharge itat a point of delivery, and means for moving said carriages to shift the operative run of said drag buckets toward the diminishing pile of coal.

3;"In' an apparatus of the character described the combination of cages adapted'to' be disposed adjacent to a mine face, carriages movable therein carrying horizontal pulleys, means for'a'ctuating said pulleys and arc-shaped runways, an endless cable on said pulleys, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endless cable, a series ofdra'g buckets connected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather coal-shot down from said mine face and discharge it at a'point of delivery, and means for continuously'moving said carriages to shift the operative run of said drag buckets toward the diminishing pile of coal; 7

4. In an apparatus of the character described the combination of cages adapted to be disposed adjacent to a mine face and provided with longitudinal stationary screwshafts, carriages movable therein provided with threaded eyes engaging said screw'shafts and carrying horizontal sprocket Wheels, operative means therefor and arcshaped runways, an endless cable on said sprocket wheels, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endless cable, a series of drag buckets connected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather coal shot down from said mine face and discharge it at a point of delivery, and means for turning said screwshafts.

5. In an apparatus of the character described the combination of cages adapted to be disposed adjacent to'a mine face, carriages movable therein carrying horizontal pulleys, means for actuating said pulleys and arc-shaped runways having downs wardly inclined flaring spouts, an endless cable on said pulleys, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endless cable, and a series of drag buckets connected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather coal shot down from said mine face and discharge it at a point of delivery.

'6. In an apparatus of the, character (le scribed the combination ofcages adapted to be disposed adjacent to a mine face, carriages movable therein carryinghorizontal pulleys, means for actuating. said pulleys and arc-shaped runways,an-endless cable on said pulleys, aseries of individual chains or ropes connected. at intervals with said endless cable, and a series of drag buckets connected to the free ends of said individual. chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather 'coal shot down from said mine face anddischargeit at a point of'delivery, said drag buckets havinjg lateral lugs engaging said runways. 7, In an apparatus of the character de-' scribed the combination of cages adapted to be disposed adjacent to a mine face, car-V riages movable therein carrying horizontal pulleys, means for actuatmg'said pulleys and arc-shaped runways, one of said runways having a delivery opening in its bot v tom and elevated gui'deways opposite said opening, endless cable on'said pulleys, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endlesscable, and a series of drag buckets connected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and op-' erative to gather coal shot down from said mine face and discharge it "at a point of delivery, said buckets having lateral lugs engaging said runway and being provided with dropbottoms adapted to operate automatically to dump when over said delivery opening.

8Z'In anapparatus of the characterfdescribed the combination of cages adapted to be disposed adjacent to a mine face and provided with long'gitu dinal stationary screw shafts, carriages movable'therein provided with threaded eyes engaging said screwshafts and carrying horizontal sprocket wheels, operative means therefor and arcshaped runways, an endless cable 'on said sprocket wheels, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endless cable, a series of drag buckets connected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather coal shot nected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather coal shot down from said mine face and discharge it at a point of delivery, and an endless conveyer having a receiving extension projecting under said point of delivery and a delivery extension projecting over the mine cars.

10. In an apparatus of the character described the combination of cages adapted to be disposed adjacent to a mine face, carriages movable therein carrying horizontal gapped pulleys, means for actuating said pulleys and arc-shaped runways, an endless cable on said pulleys, provided with buttons engaging gaps of said pulleys, a series of individual chains or ropes connected at intervals with said endless cable, and a series of drag buckets connected to the free ends of said individual chains, movable through and between said runways and operative to gather coal shot down from said mine face and discharge it at a point of delivery.

11. The combination of two stationary frames spaced apart from each other, two slidable frames movable in said stationary frames, U-shaped runways disposed in said slidable frames respectively with their open ends opposite each other, vertical shafts in said movable frames carrying horizontal gapped pulleys, a cable spanning said pul--- leys, drag buckets connected with said cable and adapted to traverse said runways and the space between them, and actuating means.

12. The combination of two stationary frames spaced apart from each other, two slidable frames movable in said stationary frames, U-shaped runways disposed in said movable frames respectively with their open ends opposite 'each other, vertical shafts in said movable frames, carrying horizontal gapped pulleys, a cable spanning said pulleys, drag buckets connected with said'cable and adapted to traverse said runways and the space between them, and means for driving said pulleys and moving said movable frames simultaneously. 7

18. The combination of two stationary frames spaced apart from each other, two

slidable frames movable in said stationary frames, U-shaped runways disposed in said slidable frames respectively withtheir open ends opposite each other, vertical shafts in said slidable frames carrying horizontal gapped pulleys, a cable spanning said pulleys, drag buckets connected with said cable and adapted to traverse said runways and the space between them, means operative to drive said pulleys and move said sliding said movable frame carrying horizontal gapped pulleys, a cable spanning said pulleys, drag buckets connected with said cable and adapted to traverse said runways and the space between them, actuating means, and means for adjusting said cages.

'ALBERT E. KNEE.

GORDON B. HOPKINS. v

Witnesses:

CYRUS S. MoKnNzIE, Jr., W. E. KENNEDY. 

